


The Faint of Heart

by flirtymimi123



Category: Richard Armitage fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-06 20:59:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10344447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flirtymimi123/pseuds/flirtymimi123
Summary: Elise Fullerton goes to visit her sister, Elise, in New York for a much-needed vacation and quite by accident meets a very handsome, sexy, British actor.





	1. Chance Meeting with a TD&H man

Chapter 1  
Lydia Fullerton sat at a little round table for two in a very crowded café in the heart of New York City’s theater district. It had, in the last fifteen minutes, become near to bursting at the seams with the noonday crowd. She had arrived in NYC the previous night for a badly needed vacation, and due to the lateness of the hour, had checked in at her hotel, had a quick snack, then made a brief call to her sister, Elise. After agreeing to meet for lunch at noon the next day, she had climbed into bed and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.  
Now sitting in the suggested restaurant, one of Elise’s favorites, Lydia glanced impatiently at the door once again; no sister coming through it with effusive apologies. She was beginning to get more than a little annoyed. Elise had to know how busy these little cafes got during the lunch hour, she fumed. She had turned down several requests for the empty chair, saying, “My sister is coming”, receiving more than one slightly annoyed look. She knew if Elise didn’t get here in the next few minutes, she would have to relinquish the chair. Making up her mind not to wait any longer, she touched the sleeve of a passing waitress, and placed her order. Picking up her cell phone, she punched a button, but again, no text alerts, no nothing. Elise, she thought ruefully, you just wait.

While Lydia was waiting for Elise, she had occupied herself with surreptitiously studying the café’s patrons. Sitting here amongst this crowd of men and women all clad in black, wearing her coral-colored blouse, she felt like some exotic bird with bright plumage. She hadn’t seen so much black in one place since the last funeral she had attended. She wondered briefly if that was some kind of holdover from the “beatnik” era, when it was chic to wear all black, have long straight hair, and smoke cigarettes incessantly with exaggerated nonchalance. She silently sent another ‘thank you’ message heavenwards for the ‘No Smoking’ ban in public places.  
She noticed again, during what was becoming a lengthy perusal of the crowd, a very tall man standing in a relaxed attitude at the counter, obviously waiting for his lunch order. She had first noticed him when he came into the restaurant at the end of a group of five or six people. The group had continued onwards to tables, but he had stopped at the area of the counter over which hung a placard which read ‘Take Out’. 

She hadn’t been able to get a good look at his face yet, but his brown leather jacket with its interesting patches of vertical quilting on the shoulders, upper arms, and elbows had caught her eye. Underneath the jacket, he wore a black tee-shirt or sweater, from this distance she couldn’t tell which. He had nice broad shoulders narrowing into a lean waist and hips, and was wearing dark indigo jeans which showcased muscular thighs and long legs. Leaning sideways ever so slightly, she could see he was wearing black casual boots. Letting her eyes slowly slide back up, she noticed his dark hair was just a trifle long, judging from the little curls on the nape of his neck. It was brushed back from what her mother would have called a noble forehead. He had an aristocratic-looking nose, giving him a very attractive profile, and he had, as most men these days, what looked like several days’ dark growth on his face, but not enough to conceal a chiseled jaw line. 

Lydia was suddenly reminded of long-ago shopping trips with Elise and some of her teenaged girlfriends during which they would entertain her with their comments on the degree of handsomeness, or lack thereof, that their male acquaintances had. The one that had stuck in Lydia’s mind was ‘TD&H’ which was ‘tall, dark, and handsome.’ There was no doubt in her mind that the gentleman at the take-out counter deserved that label. No doubt at all!

He had been casually glancing around at the crowd while he waited for his lunch order when, suddenly, his incredibly blue eyes fastened on hers and held for several seconds. His gaze was intense and then the left corner of his mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly.  
Lydia’s stomach did a little somersault and she quickly looked down at her phone, embarrassed that she had been caught staring. Instead of the home page with all its tiny little icons, she was seeing those beautiful blue eyes. Whoa, she thought, will have to add ‘Incredibly Sexy’ to the TD&H. Wait ‘till Elise hears about this guy!!

She glanced up again quickly, saw him paying for his lunch and then her heart lurched. Instead of heading for the door, he was turning in her direction! She didn’t want to be rude and stare, which would be very forward and definitely un-ladylike, so she lowered her eyes again. Within seconds, a pair of long, jean-clad legs appeared in her peripheral vision, very close. She looked up, way up, into the kindest face she thought she had ever seen. Mr. TD&H was smiling down at her, a smile that reached all the way to his eyes, the corners of which were wreathed in tiny laugh lines. His smile, revealing beautifully even, white teeth was, in a word, dazzling!

“Would you mind terribly if I share your table?” he asked, holding her eyes with his. His voice was a deep baritone, and Oh Dear Lord! He had an English accent!

Up until this point in her life, a request such as this from a complete stranger would have elicited a sharp “Yes, I do mind!” but she completely surprised herself by saying “No, please,” as she waved her hand towards the empty chair. She watched as he seated himself, maneuvering his very long legs underneath the table. This close to him, Lydia realized that he had to be several inches over six feet tall with wide shoulders. 

He placed his take-out container on the table and then looked up at her. This close, Lydia realized his eyes were even more beautiful than she had thought. They were an amazing azure color and surrounded with a dark, thick fringe of lashes. He twisted the cap from his bottled water, startling her, and she realized she had been staring. “This was the only available chair in the whole place,” he said in that deep voice. “I hope I haven’t stolen someone’s spot. Were you expecting a luncheon date?” He took a long drink of water, all the while looking at her over the bottle.

He was here for take-out, she thought. He hadn’t meant to stay. Lydia’s nose crinkled up as she said, “My sister was supposed to meet me for lunch. It looks like she’s stood me up!” She watched as his brows climbed in an Ah Ha! look, and at just that moment, the waitress bought Lydia’s sandwich and iced tea. 

When she had departed, he said, “Well, this is my lucky day! I should introduce myself. My name is Richard Armitage.” There was that magnificent smile again!

“I’m Lydia Fullerton,” she said, extending her hand to him across the table. He grasped hers in a firm but gentle handshake, and she couldn’t help but notice his large hands with their long, graceful fingers and well-kept nails. And yet another alarm bell went off in her brain. The first one had sounded when he had smiled at her and the second when she heard that deep voice, like liquid chocolate. Oh, that voice, she had thought. A voice like that could cause a woman a lot of trouble!

Conversation, laughter, and the normal clash and clink of a busy restaurant clamored around them as they both ducked their heads and busied themselves with their lunches. Lydia was in temporary shock with herself for having invited a total stranger to sit with her. She kept stealing looks up at him, and as her impromptu luncheon companion kept his head down, she concluded that he must be a little shy as well.

After a few minutes, having satiated their immediate hunger, they both sat back in their chairs at the same moment, as if on some unspoken cue. Lydia raised her eyes to his face just as he raised his to hers. Having been caught out, he gave her a little sideways grin and raised his water bottle to his lips. She had the sudden thought that perhaps he wasn’t as shy as she had first imagined because he was, once again, looking directly at her over his bottle. 

As Richard looked at her, his first impression was confirmed. She was a very beautiful woman with an enchanting, musical voice. She had long, chestnut-colored hair, gently waving around her face, and bright golden-brown eyes with thick lashes. Her face was a lovely oval with a creamy complexion and the slightest hint of a dimple in her chin. She had a cute little upturned nose and full, sensuous lips. She was a petite woman, but very shapely, and the coral-colored, long-sleeved silk blouse she was wearing enhanced her full, round breasts.  
He watched her take a deep sip from her tea glass, and then began idly stroking the sides where the condensation had accumulated. His eyes, having once again been happily engaged in a perusal of her very lovely countenance, now became riveted on those stroking fingers. He glanced quickly to her face, then back to the fingers. He instantly recognized an unconscious habit and felt quite sure that she was totally oblivious to the effect she was having on him. 

“So, Richard,” Lydia said, breaking their silence, “Obviously, you’re ‘English’. Are you visiting or do you live here in New York?” She dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

“Actually, I do have a home here,” he said, still watching her fingers.

“Ahhh….and what do you do?” 

“I’m an actor,” he responded, ducking his head, and then looked back up at her with a little smile. “What about you?”

“Well, nothing as exciting as what you do. I’m a small business owner,” she said. 

“Here in New York?” 

“Oh, no, I’m just here on vacation, a much needed vacation, I might add. I’m from a little college town in North Carolina.”

“Ahhh,” he said, taking notice of the faint blue shadows beneath her eyes. “And your sister? Is she here in New York?”

“Actually she is,” Lydia said. “She’s lived in New York for several years now, and I haven’t been to visit since she moved up here. She’s a designer in the costume department of a theater group just around the corner.”

“Really? What is her name?”

“Elise Fullerton. Do you know her?” Her brows drew together with the question.

“I believe I have met her. If she’s who I think she is, she’s a very talented young lady.” He took another deep drink from his water bottle. “You should be very proud of her.”

“Oh, I am,” she said, and then, somewhat annoyed, “even though I’m not very happy with her at the moment for standing me up!” 

He chuckled softly in the lovely baritone voice. “Well, that’s always a busy department. No doubt she couldn’t get away.”

Lydia glanced down at her phone which she had laid on the table. Giving it a scathing look she said, “Yeah, well, she could have called or sent a two-word text ’Can’t come’.” She bent her head and raised a hand to rub her forehead lightly. “I’m so sorry,” she said looking up at him. “I’m a little embarrassed. You’ll be thinking I have a nasty temper, and that’s not true at all.”

“You’ll forgive her?” he said, his eyes imploring her to say yes. “I hope you’ll say that the time was not completely wasted.”

“Of course I will, she’s my baby sister.” She looked up to find his eyes still intent on her face. “And, quite honestly, I have enjoyed sharing my table with you. It has been a very pleasant lunch.”

They both finished their sandwiches, and then sat in silence for a few moments. Richard leaned forward to place his forearms on the table, his eyes downcast. Clearing his throat and looking up at her with a furrowed brow, he said, “I realize this is very sudden, our having just met each other, but I wonder if you would consider having dinner with me tonight? I’ve really enjoyed your company and I would love to get to know you better.” There was definitely a smile in those eyes. “Please?”

Lydia studied the man sitting across from her wearing a look of what could only be called hopeful expectation on his kind, honest, and very attractive face. He was a mature man, with the loveliest of manners and even though she had, in the past, not been a very good judge of character in men, she intuitively felt she had nothing to fear from him. She had never in her life felt so comfortable with anyone she had just met, especially a man. And the fact that he was extremely attractive didn’t hurt matters any. She could only marvel at the quirk of fate that had placed her in this restaurant, on this day, at this time, and having the only empty seat in the whole place. How could she pass up a dinner invitation with one of the most handsome men she had ever met? 

It didn’t take her long to make up her mind. “Yes. I would like that. A little revenge can be sweet.” And then she laughed at the somewhat startled look on his face. “I’m sure Elise will be inviting me to dinner tonight to make up for missing lunch today.”

“Well,” he said, laughing with her. “What is it you Americans say? ‘When you snooze, you lose!’”


	2. A Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia and Richard make plans for dinner

Chapter 2

Richard and Lydia walked out of the restaurant together. He hadn’t embarrassed her by trying to pay her lunch tab; he seemed to know instinctively that she would have balked at that. His hand lightly on her elbow, he guided her over against a wall, away from the never ceasing stream of sidewalk traffic.

“I shall look forward to dinner,” he said, looking down into her upturned face. Even in her high-heeled boots, he still towered over her. Here in the sunlight, he could see reddish highlights in her hair as a gentle breeze tossed wisps around her face. 

Lydia, trying to subdue her hair, looked up into his gorgeous blue eyes and watched the smile hovering about his mouth. “Me, too,” she said, realizing that she was truly looking forward to dinner with this man. She returned his smile.

They exchanged phone numbers, and she gave him the name of her hotel, agreeing to meet him in the lobby. He reached for her hand, brought it to his lips, and said, “Eight o’clock, then.” Drawing a pair of sunglasses from his jacket pocket, he placed them on his face, and turning, sauntered off down the sidewalk. 

Lydia briefly considered walking around to the theater where her sister worked, but thought better of it and went in the opposite direction from Richard. One, Elise was obviously very busy, and two, since Richard knew of her sister, she couldn’t risk running into him there. Since she didn’t relish the thought of being mistaken for a stalker, she decided to do some window shopping on the way back to her hotel.

Lydia hailed a cab, and after giving him the address of the hotel, settled back in the seat, and then thought about how she would spend the rest of the day. She had the cabbie let her out a couple of blocks from the hotel so she could stroll along and do her window shopping. It was a lovely autumn day, and she had plenty of time before her dinner date. 

She was admiring a lovely pumpkin-colored sweater in a shop window when her cell phone started playing Seal’s ‘Bring It On.’ I bet that’s Elise, she thought. 

It was. Pushing the call button, she said, “Hey you! What happened?”

“Hey girl,” Elise’s chirpy voice responded. “Yeah, I know what list I’m on. I could NOT get away.” 

Lydia could hear the regret in her baby sister’s voice but she wasn’t going to let her off that easily. “Well, good grief, couldn’t you spare one minute to call me and tell me so? I waited forever, trying to fend off obnoxious people who wanted your chair the whole time.”

“I know, sis, I’m sorry,” Elise pleaded. “I’ve had people hanging over me all morning. Let me buy you dinner tonight to make up for it. I can drop by for you at eight.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m just giving you a hard time,” Lydia laughed. “Actually, I can’t do dinner tonight because I have a date!”

“What? A dinner date? You gotta be kidding me!” Elise sputtered. “You don’t know anybody here, besides me, that is. You’ve been here less than twenty-four hours!”

“Well, as of lunch time today,” Lydia said, with the tiniest hint of smugness in her voice, “I know two people. The restaurant was very crowded, and I had the only empty chair. A TD&H asked if he could share my table. We spent a lovely hour together, and he asked me to dinner. I said yes! Oh, by the way,” she added, “he said he’s an actor and he thinks he knows you.”

“Really, what’s his name?’ Elise questioned.

“Richard.”

“Richard. Richard what?"

“He told me but I can’t remember what it was. I’m so bad with names the first time I hear them. I know it started with an ‘A’.”

“Good grief! What does he look like?”

“Well,” Lydia mused, “Let me think. He’s very tall, has nice wide shoulders, long legs, has dark hair, bearded, well, several days’ worth of stubble anyway, the most amazing blue eyes I have ever seen, not to mention an awesome smile. He has a long, patrician nose, and he was about the nicest, kindest man I think I have ever met,” she finished. “Oh, and he has a very deep voice with an English accent.”

“OH MY GOSH!” Elise sputtered. “I think you had lunch with Richard Armitage!”

“Yes, yes, that’s it, that’s his last name,” Lydia confirmed. 

“It has to be,” Elise gushed. “There can’t be two actors in this city described like that. Well…maybe there COULD be but HOLY COW!” Her voice was drenched with awe, and maybe just a little bit of envy. “That is amazing, Lyddy. Uh, where are you meeting him?”

“He’s picking me up at eight in the lobby of my hotel,” Lydia said. 

“He didn’t say where he was taking you? Well, I’m coming to spend the night with you. I want to hear all the details as soon as you get back in. And, by the way,” she said in an apologetic tone, “I’m really sorry you couldn’t stay with me. We’ve got a new roommate, she’s just moved in, and boxes are everywhere! The place is a wreck! But seriously,” she continued, “I do want to spend some time with you. And I am sorry about today.”

Lydia laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Come over if you want to; I’ll leave a key at the front desk. We’ll talk.”

“Okay,” Elise said. “I’ll see you when you get in. Have fun!’ Lydia could hear her laughing as the call ended.

She slipped into the shop and decided to purchase the pumpkin sweater after trying it on. The color was very flattering with her hair, and it would look great with the dark brown slacks and brown heels she had packed for her trip. As Richard was a very tall man, wearing heels around him would not be a problem.


	3. An Italian Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richard and Lydia get to know each other a little better over a romantic dinner.

Chapter 3

Lydia’s afternoon went pleasantly enough; she had time for a quick manicure, reevaluated her clothing, deciding the new sweater would be just right, and then had a thirty-minute nap to refresh her energy level. When she woke up, she had a nice, leisurely soak in the tub, and then a quick shower to shampoo. After drying her hair, she pulled tendrils down in front of her ears and tamed the rest in a sleek chignon at the nape of her neck. She was especially careful with her makeup, her color palette selected to enhance her amber-colored eyes.  
When she had finished with hair and makeup, she called room service for a cheese and fruit tray, not wanting to be faint from hunger by the time she met Richard in the lobby at eight o’clock. Munching on cheese, crackers and fruit, she kicked back, surfed the TV channels for a while, and glanced over the tourist attractions brochures she had picked up in the lobby. Around 7:15pm, she dressed and attached gold hoops to her ears. The sweater had a flattering cowl neckline, so nothing else was needed. She checked herself out in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door, observing that the cashmere sweater hugged her curves very nicely and the dark brown slacks showed off her toned thighs and derriere. She shrugged at her reflection, thinking, _Okay, this is the best I can do._ She folded a chocolate-colored, knitted shawl over her arm, threw her cell into her purse and left her room. 

Stopping briefly at the front desk to leave instructions about her sister, Lydia took a seat in a comfy-looking chair which afforded her a clear view of the front door. She knew she was early but wanted to see Richard before he saw her. She did. He came through the door about five minutes after she sat down. He was early too.  
Richard Armitage had incredible presence, not only because of his dark, good looks, his height and his incredible physique, but he exuded an easy confidence which was very attractive. He was wearing dark grey slacks, and another black sweater, a vee-neck one this time, and it wasn’t a case of the clothes making him look good, it was the other way around. From her vantage point, Lydia could see several female heads snapping in his direction but he seemed oblivious to the stir his entrance had created as he glanced down at his wristwatch.  
Turning and catching sight of her, he crossed the floor with an easy grace which belied his size. Looking down at her, he said, “Hallo again,” in that lovely baritone voice. “I thought I would be early but you are, too.“ That wonderful, bright grin lit up his face, reaching all the way to those mesmerizing blue eyes.  
Lydia was momentarily stunned with the masculine beauty of this man before her. “Yes,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I decided to come on down. No point in waiting upstairs.” She looked at him for a couple seconds, then blurted out, “Your last name is ‘Armitage’ right?”  
He tilted his dark head to the side with a quizzical look on his face. “Yes, it is, but I believe I told you that this afternoon.”  
“Yes, you did,” Lydia confessed, a note of apology in her voice. “I’m so terrible with names the first time I hear them, but Elise reminded me when I described you to her. She did call, as I said she would, about dinner tonight and was quite… well… _shocked_ when I described you. Apparently, your deep voice and English accent was the clincher.” She reached behind for her purse and shawl, and then looked straight into his face, cocking her head to one side. “Are you really famous? Are we going to be mobbed by autograph hounds?”  
Those lovely blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he shook his head, chuckling. “No, I think it will be quite all right. Out of costume and makeup, most people still don’t recognize me. Which is a good thing,” he added. “The place I have in mind is one of my favorites, and they’re very discrete.” With a gentle hand beneath her elbow, he turned her toward the door. “I should have asked earlier if you like Italian food?”  
“I love it,” Lydia responded, as he held the door open for her. _Hmmmm... a gentleman,_ she thought.  
Richard spoke quietly to the doorman, who promptly stepped to the curb and hailed a cab. Within seconds, he helped her into the backseat, gave the address to the cabbie and settled back looking down at her. “And how was your afternoon?” he asked politely.  
She gave him a small smile. “It was nice. I did a little window shopping, made some plans with Elise, and just chilled out.” She looked out the window at all the traffic whizzing by, as she attempted to calm the nervous fluttering in her stomach. Curiosity won out and she turned to him saying, rather abruptly, “Forgive me, but why haven’t I heard of you before? Elise seems to think you’re quite famous.”  
“Perhaps it’s because the majority of my work has been in England,” he said, smiling. “It’s just in the last couple of years that I’ve gained international attention.” He shifted slightly towards her. “I worked on three movies which were filmed in New Zealand, and the movies have been quite successful.” He gave her a slightly puzzled look. “The movies are about ‘Middle Earth’ and fall into the ‘science fiction-fantasy’ category. Perhaps you’re not into that genre.”  
“Well, yes, I am,’ she said. “And I’ve seen the movies, at least the first two which I loved. I think there’s a third one, but I don’t believe it’s been released yet.” She studied his face for a few seconds. “But I don’t remember seeing you. Which character were you?”  
Richard grinned. “I was the dwarf king. And you’re right. The last installment will be released in December.”  
Lydia’s jaw actually dropped open for a second, and then snapped shut. “You were the dwarf king? I can hardly believe it!’  
“That’s the beauty of prosthetics, wigs, and padding,” he said, laughing. “The people I worked with are very clever; they are masters at creating characters.” He laughed again. “And in the movie, my character is about 5’2” which is tall for a dwarf. Fortunately, I can still go to the supermarket and push a trolley without being recognized. Ah, here we are.” The cab had slipped in next to a curb.  
Richard helped her from the cab, and she looked up at the sign over the door which said ‘Arte.’ A couple of tables, covered with snowy white cloths, were placed just outside the door. He held the door for her and once inside they were greeted by a young, attractive hostess.  
“Good evening, Mr. Armitage,” she said politely. “This way, please sir.”  
Several customers, men and women both, nodded at him as they followed the hostess to a table, located in a quiet corner. In just a couple of minutes, a wait person had appeared handing them menus with a flourish, followed by the wine steward. “Will you be having your usual, Mr. Armitage?” he asked politely. Richard looked at Lydia with a grin. “I favor a pinot noir. Will that be all right with you?” Lydia smiled and nodded her head in acquiesce and the wine steward smiled, nodded and stepped away.  
They both perused their menus for several minutes and Lydia, having decided, closed hers and glanced around.  
The restaurant was brown and gold with dark gleaming wood and lots of golden sconces highlighting very attractive paintings of the Italian countryside. Small crystal vases with an autumn-colored selection of flowers were placed in the center of tables covered with snowy white linen. Candlelight bounced off the silver and crystal, and with violin music paying quietly in the background, the ambiance created was quiet, soothing, and very romantic.  
Once their wine had arrived and they had placed their orders, Richard ordering lasagna and Lydia manicotti, Richard sat back in his chair, pushing the sleeves of his sweater up revealing well-developed forearms covered in fine, dark hair. After taking a sip of his wine, he smiled again, almost shyly it seemed. “Tell me about yourself,” he said softly in his deep voice. “I believe you mentioned you are a small business owner.”  
At that moment, another restaurant patron stopped at his elbow and spoke quietly to him. It was only for a minute but it gave Lydia an opportunity to observe this gorgeous man seated opposite her. His dark hair, gleaming in the candlelight, was brushed back from his forehead, and with his head tilted back looking up at the other gentlemen, the light glanced off his long, elegant nose. His dark brows rose, his beautiful blue eyes full of humor, and those tiny laugh lines which feathered the corners of his eyes appeared again as he laughed at something the other man had said. His face and throat were lightly tanned, and the vee-neck of his sweater allowed the barest hint of fine, dark chest hair.  
The man patted Richard’s shoulder lightly and passed on. When he turned his full attention back to her, he said, chuckling, “That gentleman just complemented me on my choice of dinner companion. I would have introduced you but I don’t actually know his name. I hope you’re not offended.”  
Lydia smiled at him. “Offended? No, why would you think that?”  
“Because it’s discourteous. My usual dinner companion is a book, or sometimes a script. I have been fortunate in this place as everyone is respectful of one’s privacy.” He glanced around the restaurant. “That’s the main reason I come here so often, and besides that, I love Italian, anything Italian.” He picked up his wine glass and looked at her over it.  
Lydia picked up her own wine glass and sipped from it. “May I ask you a question?” she said, returning her glass to the table, her slender fingers lingering on the stem. “I’m not looking for flattery, but I am curious. What made you decide to come to my table and speak to me?”  
He looked directly into her eyes for a couple of seconds before replying. “When I saw you in the café today, my first thought was ‘what a beautiful woman’. My eyes were drawn to you, I guess, because you were the only one there not wearing black. You stood out. And I could see that you were determined to save the extra chair at your table so I thought I would try to help you out. It was obvious that you were a little annoyed, and I suppose I was a little curious as to what had upset you. And after talking to you, I thought you were one of the most interesting, real people I’ve met in a long time.” He was silent for a few seconds as he studied her face. “I used the term ‘beautiful’ but right now, in this candlelight, you are magnificent. I don’t mean to distress you but you positively glow!” His chin was tucked down and he was looking at her from beneath his lashes with a slightly furrowed brow.  
Lydia didn’t quite know what to say, and to cover up her embarrassment, she fell back on humor. “It has to be the sweater. I mean…pumpkin-colored…and in this light.”  
Richard was shaking his head from side to side. “No, it’s not the sweater, it’s you. Your hair glows; it’s the color of honey. Your skin glows. Even your whiskey-colored eyes. You are a very lovely lady.”  
She could feel her cheeks burning. _Probably another reason why I’m glowing,_ she thought. But she remembered something her mother had always told her. _If you receive a complement, accept it graciously._ “Thank you,’ she said softly.  
At that moment, their food arrived and they busied themselves with napkins and cutlery. After eating for several minutes, Richard paused, wiping his mouth on his napkin. “What do you think? Is it good?”  
“Oh yes,” Lydia agreed. “It’s delicious. A lovely idea you had.”  
“Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”  
They continued enjoying their meal, while the restaurant hummed with muted conversations accompanied by the clink of silverware against porcelain plates. Their conversation was limited, just a comment here and there as they concentrated on their meal, but finally, they both sat back and looked across at each other.  
“I was asking about your business when we were interrupted earlier,” Richard said, wiping his mouth and placing his napkin beside his plate. “What do you do?”  
“I own a yarn shop,” Lydia said, smiling. “I took it over when my mother passed away about ten years ago.” She laid her own napkin aside, and picked up her wine glass. “Knitting, crochet, embroidery, you name it.” She laughed, and said, “I don’t expect you to understand any of that.”  
He cocked his head sideways, the left corner of his mouth twitching with what could only be called a smirk. “Oh, rubbish. Of course I do. Everybody knits, even in England,” he said. “And you do well?”  
“Yes, well enough. It’s the only yarn shop in our little town and we’re located in a nice little spot. Mother had the touch, she always did. I worked there part-time while I was in high school, and during summer vacations while in college. It just seemed natural to take it over when she died.” She had to glance away from those intense blue eyes. The man was incredibly sexy and she had the distinct impression that he was unaware of it, which made him even more sexy. When he spoke, he looked directly into her eyes, and she was acutely aware of a fluttering of butterflies in her lower stomach. Fighting an inclination to squirm in her seat, she looked back at him and said, “And you? How did you get into acting?”  
“Ah,” he said, smiling. His long, slender fingers were playing with the stem of his wine glass. “Well, I’ve been an avid reader since I first learned to read, and I’ve been blessed with a lively imagination. Then, when I was about 13 or so, I was in a play.” His eyes crinkled up as he added, “I was an elf. I suppose that’s where I got the bug.” He laughed softy in the lovely deep voice.  
“A lively imagination would be a good thing for an actor to have, I would suppose,” Lydia said. “Has your acting experience been mainly in one area?”  
“No, I’ve been fortunate to have had opportunities in theatre, television, and film. I actually started out in musical theatre but quickly decided that wasn’t quite what I wanted. So, I enrolled in drama school.” He was quiet for a moment or two, and then added, “I’ve also done quite a lot of voice work. My voice lends itself well to audio recordings.” He glanced down at their empty plates. “That was very good. Would you like dessert?”  
She shook her head. “If it were the weekend, I’d go for it, but since it’s only Monday, I better skip it.”  
“Ha!” he laughed. “That’s my rule exactly!”  
They chatted for a few more minutes, and when Lydia excused herself to the ladies’ room Richard motioned for the bill. When she returned to their table, he stood and gently took her elbow as they walked towards the lobby.  
“Would you care to walk for a few minutes?” he asked. “It’s not too chilly, I think.”  
“That’s fine,” she said. “I have this.” She held out her knitted shawl.  
Taking it from her, he held it out, whistling softly. “It’s nice, very soft,” he said. “Did you do this?” He placed it around her arms.  
She laughed. “Actually I did. It’s a cashmere blend. One of the benefits of being the owner,” she said, looking over her shoulder at him, “is getting fantastic yarns at wholesale prices.”  
They walked slowly for a couple of blocks, enjoying the cool autumn night as Richard pointed out a couple of interesting sights. “There are actually a few older buildings in the area that are quite interesting, but,” he paused, looking down at her feet, “I don’t think those shoes are meant for walking.”  
“No,” she said, laughing. “They’re not. Sorry!”  
“I’ll take you back to your hotel.”  
Stepping into the street, Richard stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly, and in a couple of moments, a cab cruised up. During the trip back to Lydia’s hotel, he drew her attention to some captivating views of the New York skyline, but all in all, they didn’t do a lot of talking. At the halfway point, he reached over and took her hand gently in his. His was a very large, warm hand, and she did not withdraw her own.  
When they reached her hotel, he helped her out, stuck his head back in and said something to the cabbie, and then escorted her inside the door. It was quiet for the moment, only the desk attendant was in sight.  
They stood close but not touching, he looking down at her while she looked out the front windows at the street, all the while trying to quell the fluttering in her stomach. Finally, he raised an index finger underneath her chin, tilting her head back. She held her breath, thinking he meant to kiss her, but leaning close, he merely kissed her cheek.  
“I had a lovely evening, Lydia,’ he whispered in her ear, and reaching for her hand once again, he kissed her fingers.  
“As did I, Richard,” she whispered back.  
Their eyes remained locked on each other’s for a couple of heartbeats, and without another word, he turned and slipped out through the double glass-fronted doors.  
Lydia crossed the lobby, punched the elevator button, and turned quickly to look back through the plate glass windows. The cab was just pulling away and he was gone.


End file.
